The Passing of Information
by Dragon's Mudblood
Summary: [OneShot] Every Wednesday, he would discreetly meet Hermione Granger in different places. Then they would get to work. He would hug her, kiss her, bury his fact into her neck, smell her hair, and sometimes even take her into a room with him. Work indeed.


**All disclaimers apply to this one-shot. Inspiration for writing this came from the book, _Violet Eyes_.**

**-!-!-!-**

There were many ways to pass on information. Secret codes, invisible ink, purpose misplacement of documents, and so many more. But this way, this way had to be the weirdest. Then again, Draco Malfoy came up with it so that had to count for something in defence.

He was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, having discreetly switched loyalties after the fiasco in the tower during his sixth year. Being orphaned because of his failure had taught him not to be loyal to someone so cruel. Ever since then, he was known as Voldemort's favourite supporter and the Order's best spy. While he wasn't a full time member, he still managed to get involved through relaying massages.

Every Wednesday, he would discreetly meet Hermione Granger in different places. Then they would get to work.

And what strange work it was indeed.

He would hug her, kiss her, bury his fact into her neck, smell her hair, and sometimes even take her into a room with him.

Work indeed.

**-!-!-!-**

Draco saw Hermione coming through the park toward him and gave a little wave to beckon her towards him. As soon as she was in front of him, he kissed her.

"You're late," he mumbled against her lips.

"Meeting ran late," she murmured back.

She pulled away and smiled at him. They held hands and walked towards the picnic area with small talk along the way. There was a big shady tree situated in the picnic area and they went to it. Draco sat down and pulled Hermione into his lap, immediately embracing her.

"Next Monday. 8:45. Spinner's end," he whispered into her curls.

She buried her face in his neck. "Is Snape going to be there?"

"Of course; it is his house."

"Thanks." Then, in a louder voice, "I should go now. My break is only fifteen minutes and time's up." She smiled and got up.

He smiled back. "Till next time."

**-!-!-!-**

Hermione smiled contentedly as she ran her fingers over the spines of various books. The latest stock had just arrived and she was ready to get her hands on all of them.

"Move it," she heard someone say behind her.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" she asked in mock surprise and anger.

"I'm picking up some books. Got a problem with that?" he asked, sneering.

She gave him glare. "Need any suggestions? Maybe you'd like to read about something other than Dark Arts."

"I may consider them."

She took his hand and guided it to a purple coloured book, while discreetly slipping a note into his hand. "I suggest you read it soon," she said. "It's very interesting." Then she quickly withdrew her hand from his.

"Will do." He left, taking the book with him.

Hermione sighed and resumed browsing through the books.

**-!-!-!-**

"You're early," Draco remarked when he saw Hermione standing against a wall, waiting for him.

"I was feeling nervous," she confided into him.

"Suddenly afraid of what the big bad Death Eaters will do to you?" he asked, with a little smirk.

"No. I'm afraid what they'll do to you though," she said, looking straight into his eyes.

"Don't worry about me. I'm perfectly secure," he said, waving her concern away.

"That's what you think," she contradicted.

He was about to ask her what she meant when all of a sudden, the room was filled with the sound of apparating and they determinedly marched away from each other.

**-!-!-!-**

He kept his arm firmly around her waist as they moved through the mass of people in the muggle nightclub where they were meeting.

"Of all the places, you just had to choose this one, didn't you," he said in her ear. With all the noise around them, he'd have to shout otherwise for her to hear.

She laughed and pulled him to the dance floor. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she started swaying and whispered in his ear, "Loosen up. It wouldn't kill you to have some fun."

"No, but if I get caught here or even if word gets out that I was here, there you might as well pick out my coffin."

"Stop talking like that. I came here to escape all that depressing stuff," she said so quietly that he could hardly hear.

He didn't answer; he couldn't. All the casualties of the war had probably gotten to her. During the last confrontation between the Order and Death Eaters, six Order members had met their deaths while several others were seriously injured. The Death Eaters had all managed to escape unscathed. Perhaps she had known the deceased people.

"You know," she told him. "Harry got some leads on the last horcrux. He, Ron, and I were all planning on how to go deal with it. But when we woke up the next morning, he was gone. No note or anything. His room was still the mess it had been but his owl and a bit of clothing was missing." She paused. "After everything we've been through together, he still didn't take us with him," she said, voice cracking at the end.

"I'm sure he was only looking out for you. I don't think he would have been able to deal with it if you got hurt," he said consolingly.

"It's been days since his disappearance and still he hasn't contacted us," she said miserably.

"He probably doesn't want to give his location away," Draco said, remembering being in the same situation the previous summer.

She sniffed.

"I have a confession to make," he said, suddenly serious.

She looked up at him. "What?"

"I . . . can't dance."

He saw her eyebrows rise in amusement and the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as well. "You, can't dance?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head. "So I would like to suggest leaving this place now."

"But you're doing fine so far," she argued.

"That's because slow dancing only involves you to stand or sway. For the other stuff, I will be left standing like an idiot or embarrassing myself by trying to fit in and dance."

"Fine," Hermione huffed. "It's time I left anyway. The others will begin to worry."

Draco took her hand and led her outside. Once they were in the cool night air, he immediately pulled her to him. "Aren't you forgetting to tell me something?" he asked, his face in her bushy hair.

"Oh, yeah," Hermione whispered. "You might want to let it slip that some Order members are meeting at the Hog's Head this Sunday at 2 p.m. Check one of the rooms on the top floor for us." She gave him a kiss, mumbling, "Take care," and apparated away.

**-!-!-!-**

Everyone in the room was fidgeting some way or another. Moody's eye was spinning maniacally, Lupin's knees wouldn't stop bobbing up and down, Tonks hair turned a different colour every few seconds, and a few of the others couldn't stop pacing.

"Are you sure you gave them the right timing?" one of them asked. The others stopped to listen to the response.

"I did. They should be here-" Hermione started but was cut off by Moody.

"They're here," he growled.

Suddenly the door crashed open and all the Order members stood to attention. A blur of spells, hexes, and curses rang out causing many shields to go up and sometimes causing a person to kneel over, fall, or do strange things. Screams echoed around the room. Neither side backed out though.

Hermione was standing back to back with an Elphias Doge, curses flying out of her wand at an alarmingly fast pace. In under a minute, she'd gotten two Death Eaters on their feet. Deciding to send them to Headquarters, she quickly went forward and thrust identical thumbtacks into their hands causing them to vanish instantly.

She had just stopped to take a breath when she felt her robes and arm cut deeply. Staggering, she clutched her arm and shouted in pain, wand dropping to the floor. Within seconds she bent down, retrieved her wand, and was back in action. A Death Eater whizzed past her and she felt another spell hit her arm, except this one healed her cut. Smiling, she continued.

The battle only lasted about 15 minutes and then the Death Eaters apparated away, having realized that it was too risky to stay since so many of them had already been caught and vanished.

The captured Death Eaters included Draco Malfoy.

**-!-!-!-**

The room where Draco Malfoy appeared was very dark. He recognized it as being located in the cellar, right next to the pantry. Getting caught was definitely not part of the plan, but he was glad for this kind of break. While the other Death Eaters would be confined to their separate rooms (to avoid suspicion about Draco's absence, just in case) he would be free to roam the house.

Light flooded into the room as the door opened.

"Hey," Hermione said softly coming towards him.

"I was wondering when someone would show up," Draco said.

"Why? Afraid of the dark?" she said teasingly.

He scoffed. "As if. Actually, I was hungry. Duelling does take a lot of energy, you know."

"I know too well," she said, leading him out of the room and upstairs to the kitchen. "By the way, thanks for healing me back there."

He just shrugged. "I figured you'd need both hands to duel properly."

"Still, thanks."

There were a few covered plates on the counter. Looking through them, Draco found an assortment of foods made by Mrs. Weasley. He grabbed a plate of his own and started filing it, and then started wolfing it down right there.

"Wow, you must be really hungry," Hermione commented.

He nodded, continuing to stuff his mouth.

She watched him for a minute before speaking again. "Seeing your appetite, I suppose the others will be just as hungry. Maybe we can add veritaserum to their food," she said thoughtfully.

He nodded.

"Moody's pretty happy with the number we managed to catch. He thinks the day of the final battle is drawing closer. And we've finally received word from Harry. He says he's somewhere east and plans to be back by next week," she said happily.

He'd finally finished off his meal and was now putting his plate in the sink where the sponge immediately began to wash it. "I suppose that means that this war will be over soon," he remarked.

"Hopefully," Hermione agreed. "I just hope we win. I know the chances are in our favour but I can't help but think how unbearable life will be if Voldemort wins."

Draco flinched, still not used to hearing the name of his former master. "Don't worry. It'll all work out in the end."

"What about you?

"What about me?

"What are you going to do once this is over?" she elaborated.

"Put it all behind me and continue on with life. Get a job at the ministry. Help re-open Hogwarts. Find myself a nice girl." He smirked at the last part. "What about you?"

Hermione shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I guess it's going to be pretty much the same."

"You're going to find yourself a girl too? Why, Granger, I never knew!" he teased.

She punched him on the arm but there was still a small smile on her face. "You know what I meant." She paused. "So, you have any idea who your nice girl is going to be?"

He smirked again, eyes staring at her amusedly. "Yeah, I have an idea."

Hermione felt her face heat up. Maybe it was because of the look that he was giving her. "I have to go," she said hurriedly. "I'm supposed to help Moody with the interrogation." She turned around and practically ran from the room.

**-!-!-!-**

True to his word, Harry arrived within the next week. After a joyous welcome, he called the whole Order and told them of his plans. In conclusion, he said, "The final battle will take place tomorrow. Voldemort knows all his horcruxes have been destroyed so he's called me to Riddle Manor. That's where we'll end it."

The next day dawned sunny and bright. It looked like the day when one would go out for a picnic, not the day to hopefully end a war in victory.

Order members were all looking very pale in anticipation of the upcoming battle. A few people kept puking; some were trembling frightfully; various others seemed to be in a daze where the slightest sound would alarm them.

"We should be leaving now," Harry announced. "Voldemort wanted me to come by at noon. I'll deal with him first and then you can come in through the surrounding woods."

Only a small number of Order members managed to nod. The rest were either feeling too sick or wished that it wasn't happening and refused to acknowledge it.

"Alright then." Harry took one good, lingering look at the Order of the Phoenix. "Good luck everyone. I hope to see you all when this is over."

**-!-!-!-**

Draco Malfoy had never been so frustrated nor so anxious about anything in his entire life.

He was fuming at the fact that the elder Order members had refused to allow him to participate in the battle. No matter how much he had said that he would be useful, they had refused. Apparently, they were doing it for his own good by saving him from being mauled to death by Voldemort and his Death Eaters at the exposure of his betrayal.

All he could do was sit in the kitchen with a plate of cold chicken in front of him, and stare at the wall clock.

It seemed as though time was dragging itself by. A minute passed feeling like a year and the rest of the time passed like lifetimes.

One hour had passed and still there was no appearance.

_Two hours . . . three hours . . . _

At exactly 17 minutes and 38 seconds past three, the backdoor burst open and several muddied and bloodied people entered.

Jumping to his feet, Draco helped the injured ones into seats, keeping in eye out for a bushy brown head. Only a dozen people had entered, not including the Boy-Who-Lived or his friends.

Draco started asking questions as soon as everyone had settled down. From what he was told, Harry had finished off Voldemort – actually, Voldemort had burned to death somehow – and now the hero was dealing with all the caught Death Eaters. Hermione and Ron were at the hospital seeing to the critically injured people as well as the deceased.

It was another good hour before they finally arrived back, looking extremely exhausted.

Draco didn't get the chance to talk to Hermione because she rushed upstairs for a shower the minute she arrived back.

He wasn't worried though. He had something important to ask her and he was determined to do so no matter what, now that he knew that he had a chance.

**-!-!-!-**

Hermione was towelling her hair dry when there was a knock on her bedroom. "Come in," she called.

Draco entered her room and closed the door behind him. "Hey," he said. "How are you?"

Suddenly aware that she had no robes on and was only present in a stomach-revealing small t-shirt and jeans, Hermione flushed a little yet still managed to hold her composure. "Hey. I'm fine. A little tired, but that's about it. I'm sorry you couldn't come."

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter now that we've won. Congratulations."

"Yeah, you too," Hermione answered uncertainly.

"I suppose this means our work is done," he said casually. "No more meeting every Wednesday."

She nodded mutely, feeling a little sad.

"But I don't think I want it to end." Hermione looked up at him. "Which leads me to ask you, Hermione Granger, if you would like to go out with me?"

She gaped at him for a full 13 seconds – damn, the time watching had gotten to him – before answering with a, "WH-what?"

Draco drew her into his arms like he had done so many times before. "I think I would like to continue our _work _in a more open and free timing way. Wouldn't you like that too?"

"I – I guess," Hermione said, blushing. It was amazing how work had never allowed her to feel this way yet now that it wasn't work anymore, she felt such a rush of it all.

"Brilliant," Draco said smiling. He leaned down and kissed her gently and slowly, unlike how it had been before. He pulled back to find her staring at him, a smile upon her lips.

"It's been a pleasure working with you," she said, eyes dancing.

Draco nodded. He never thought work could have possible been this enjoyable. Or give him a partner that he hoped would last quite a while.

"Indeed, it has."

**-!-!-!-**

**Wow, this is the longest thing I've ever written! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Don't forget to review!**


End file.
